How to USB-Tether Android phones with Windows XP, using tetherxp.inf

Update (23/09/2013):As Samsonhas kindly pointed out in the comments, Microsoft has now released a patch for this issue. To download it and for further information, click here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959765If you prefer not to use Microsoft's hotfix, please read the comments if you are still experiencing issues because a lot of people have posted helpful tips. Thanks everyone.

Greetings fellow Android users! I just got a Samsung Galaxy S2, and had some trouble tethering via USB using the "tetherxp.inf" file. I kept getting the error message: "Cannot install this hardware". So after a bit of poking around, on the Intarwebz, I devised a workaround, and for those of you experiencing the same problem, here's my solution:

1. Plug in your phone, enable USB tethering on your phone, and cancel any hardware wizards that pop up on your computer.

2. On your computer, open up your device manager (Start->run->devmgmt.msc)

Find your phone in "Other devices", for me it was called "SAMSUNG_Android".

3. Once you've found it, double click it and switch to the details tab.

4a. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S3 or S4 (and possibly S5), please note what Urlaubär mentioned in the comments.

4b. Now this is where some of you will get lost, you need to open up the tetherxp.inf file with your favorite code editor (Start->Run->Wordpad) will work, but Notepad will not. I'll use PSPad. And create a new line below "[AndroidDevices.NT.5.1]" containing your Device Instance Id.

5. Alrighty! Now you are ready to test your handiwork! Save the modified tetherxp.inf somewhere, I'm using "C:\temp\tetherxp.inf" as you can see in step 4, then switch to the "General" tab of the device properties, and click "Reinstall Driver...". Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)", and click next.

6.Click "Search for the best driver in these locations.", and select the folder in which you saved your modified ""tetherxp.inf" file.

7.Now, if all goes smoothly, you should be greeted with this happy screen! You have successfully hacked the inf configuration to enable tethering in your device. You should see a new Local Area Network connection appear in your network connections, and it'll give you Internet access! That is, assuming your phone has Internet access.

Works well on a samsung galaxy note. Had a couple of false starts with the device ids that come up after you plug in but before you enable tethering :-). The error message was "device will not start" or some such.

If I unplug the phone the windows networking breaks down and won't restart when I plug back in. Reboot required

I still cannot use tether even I done everything like your step above. receive code 1. one thing that I confuse.. when I tick to chek tether it show connnect just a second, then it disconnect.. so I install it with tether disconnect. is that right?? help me pls buddyz...;(

Gonna use this all the way until I change to my new phone! No, not to iPhone 5! Will update you all again once I gotten my new phone! Oh! I think if you all want to buy the iPhone stickers right, I think cine is the best place to buy as I gotten this from thereDownload android apps free

A little tricky bit was that or the Nexus 4 there was an extra set of numbers and characters in the device ID.

Rathish like this: copy paste the first two lines listed under AndroidDevices.NT.5.1you will now have two identical lines.change the top line from "Nexus one" to "whatever your phone type is"change the device id from USB/VID_18D1&PID_4E13 to whatever YOUR device ID is. For Nexus 4 it happens to be USB/VID_18D1&PID_4EE3&MI_00 (a few more characters than most). If you go to the "Hardware ID" option instead of the "Device ID" dropdown option you will have exactly what you need to input.

This one seems to be the solution, but it will not work with Windows XP Service Pack 2, I followed the instructions and I even downloaded de phone USB drivers for Windows from the official phone page and it did not work. Since I need to upgrade the Windows version, I guess I'm choosing VIsta or Seven. So basically if you have Windows XP SP2 don't waste your time, it will not work.

it won't work on SP2. To get it work on sp2 go to droidforums.net or google for this link. http://www.droidforums.net/forum/android-tech-support/66688-solution-windows-xp-sp2-lower-problem-usb-tethering-print.html

This article did help me install the 'Karbonn A3+' - 'Spreadtrum phone' hardware. It went under 'Network Adapters' in Device manager, but still had an yellow exclamatory mark. Learned that it is because i am using SP2.

It almost installed but something popped up. "Continuing your installation of this software may impair or destabilize the correct operation of your system either immediately or in the future. Microsoft strongly recommends that you stop this installation now and contact the hardware vendor for software that has passed Windows Logo Testing."

Then it has two buttons. "Continue anyway" and " STOP Installation". The stop one is the recommended one to click, with, you know, has the bluish something on the button.

First one needs to bridge 2 internet connections in Windows 7.Open Network Connections by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.In the search box, type adapter, and then, under Network and Sharing Center, click View Network Connections.Hold down the Ctrl key and select each internet network connection that you want to add to the bridge.Hold down ALT to reveal Advanced Menu and click Bridge Connections. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.You should now have a new network type named "Network Bridge" created.Now Bridge the internet connection from your android phone with your alternate connection you usually use as described above.Leave this internet bridge on your system.Assuming one would use USB tether internet where usual internet connection is unavailable, when you now connect your phone, instead of showing it as a NEW CONNECTION EACH TIME, Windows will directly recognize it from the internet bridge. This will stay so even after you restart your system.